Theology

A wide range of voices have influenced my theological views:

• The Church Fathers
• Bishop Robert Barron (modern Catholic)
• Dr. Taylor Marshall (traditional Catholic)
• Jonathan Pageau (Orthodox Christian)
• Paul VanderKlay (Pastor, Christian Reformed Church)
• Dr. Jordan Peterson (undeclared – he won’t say)
• Dr. John Vervaeke (agnostic, philosopher exploring religion)
• Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens (atheists)
• many others

I have watched or listened to many hours of audiobooks, lectures, interviews, debates, or podcasts for each personality listed. But while these sources have informed my opinions, many of the ideas I want to express will be original to me – to the best of my knowledge anyway (it’s likely I’m just rediscovering things previously described). In an increasingly polarized world, I think it’s much safer to be “on a team” (even if it’s not the winning team), so it’s possible I might find myself in the most dangerous ideological position – on my own.

It’s also difficult to for me to communicate my thoughts using words because I mostly think in pictures. I have a way of visualizing concepts like “time” and “love” in the context of religion that I will struggle to write down. However, given the frequent use of parables in the Bible, I think this “visual language” is common in religious thought.

Given the many challenges associated with discussing theology, people are likely to misunderstand the views I express, and they may even get offended. I’ve experienced alienation after revealing my religious/political/cultural opinions in the past, so I am hesitant to open myself up to that kind of separation again. _{^{(I’ve also seen other people become isolated for their views, so I can be reasonably certain it’s just something that happens in modern society – and I’m not necessarily going about things the wrong way)}}

If it helps to lower the temperature, or reduce the stakes: I don’t think my interpretation of scripture or Christ’s teaching should replace the current “narrative” traditions. I think children should continue being taught a literal understanding of the Biblical stories, for example – as they have for thousands of years.

Where I think a more symbolic or allegorical view may be useful is in sort of “recalibrating” the modern secular opinion of Christianity so it isn’t totally dismissed as childish superstition. In the past, when I had similar disparaging views of religion, the work of Jordan Peterson (and others) helped form a bridge that allowed me to see there was wisdom encoded in the Bible. I hope the things I post in this category can build on that and serve to reorient others to the Truth.